Chicken Enchiladas (Great freezer meal!)

I don't usually post dinner recipes, especially ones without pictures.  But, I feel like I am always typing this up for someone, so it might as well be shared here!  This is my go-to  "freezer meal" to make for others.  We almost always get asked for the recipe, so I think that means people like it as much as our family does.

I usually use just one can of mild chiles, because you never know what other people's kids will like/dislike. This makes a pretty mild casserole.  If you are making this for your family and don't mind the heat, feel free to up the chilies to two cans, or to use medium or hot chilies.

This recipe will make TWO foil pans of enchiladas  (about 6 medium sized enchiladas each).  If you are making this for your family, you can either half this recipe, or just make an extra pan to freeze for later!  I usually grill 3 XL chicken breasts the day before making this and chop them up and keep them in the fridge until I'm ready to assemble the enchiladas.  You could also use a rotisserie chicken if you're short on time.

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Chicken Chimichangas with Green Sauce

These are DELICIOUS. Worth the crazy amount of ingredients them. They are baked instead of fried so they're crunchy and crispy without being too greasy. We use a rotisserie chicken and this makes them pretty fast too.

We only use 1/4 of a jalapeno and I think it's the perfect amount- spicy but not overpowering. Tim wishes we'd use 1/2 as called for, but he likes his food pretty spicy.

This is half of the recipe (4 servings) so double it if you need more.

Ingredients:

• (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
• 3 pitted green olives (I use black)
  
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/2 (8 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/4 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning
• 1/2 pound shredded cooked chicken meat
  
• 4 (10 inch) flour tortillas
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 (8 ounce) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1/2 (8 ounce) container sour cream

1. Pour the cream of chicken soup into a blender along with the green chiles, olives, jalapeno, and lime juice. Puree until smooth, then pour into a saucepan, and warm over medium-low heat while proceeding with the recipe.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and taco seasoning until well blended. Fold in the chicken. Evenly divide mixture among the tortillas. Fold each tortilla into a rectangular packet around the filling.
3. Lightly brush each packet with vegetable oil. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees. (We also broil ours 1 minute per side to get them extra crispy- but watch carefully if you do this so they don't burn!)
   
4. To serve, place a chimichanga on a plate, and ladle the warm sauce overtop. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese and green onions. Finish with a dollop of sour cream and sliced olives.

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com

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Tortellini Soup

This is a really good vegetable tortellini soup, a bit like minestrone. This is the best soup recipe I've ever found. I use 1 lb. ground beef instead of the sausage, so I can't actually vouch that it's good with sausage! I use frozen tortellini because it's cheap. I cook it separately and add it right at the end so it doesn't soak up too much of the juice. I also substitute apple juice for the wine- because I usually have it on hand. Really good with a nice baguette.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sausage
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cups sliced carrots
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 6 cups beef broth
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 (16 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with liquid
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup zucchini, sliced
• 1 pound fresh tortellini pasta
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (real stuff please)
  

Directions:
1. Brown sausage in pot; drain off fat. Add onions and saute until tender. Add carrots, celery, beef broth, red wine, tomatoes, ketchup, Italian seasoning, and garlic. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Skim away the fat from the soup.
2. Stir in the zucchini, tortellini, red bell pepper, and parsley. (If you use fresh tortellini, cook them according to package directions.) Simmer, covered, for about 25-30 minutes or till the tortellini are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese right before serving.


Photo & recipe from Allrecipes.com

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Asian Chicken Rollups

This is currently our favorite recipe. We've altered it quite a bit, so here is our version. If you follow these alterations it is truly amazing!

-2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
-2 tbsp teriyaki baste/glaze (we use stir-fry sauce and it's just as good)
-1 tbsp packed brown sugar
-1 tbsp hot water
-1 tsp sesame oil/vegetable oil (please use sesame oil!!)
-4 large flour tortillas, warmed on a griddle
-grilled chicken strips (Tim does 2 chicken breasts on the grill. Brushes them with a mixture of sesame oil and teriyaki sauce (aprox. 1/4 cup sauce and a tablespoon of oil) to begin, and then brushes on some of the marinade as they cook. This makes amazing chicken!)
-shredded lettuce
-shredded carrots

In a small bowl, beat the peanut butter, teriyaki baste, brown sugar, water, and oil with wire whisk until smooth. Cook chicken according to directions above. Spread each tortilla with about 2 tbsp peanut butter mixture, top with chicken, lettuce, and carrots. Roll up and enjoy. (We add additional mixture to top of chicken, or dip our roll-ups in it)

Also, if you are making this for more than 2, I would double the sauce.

Recipe from Betty Crocker

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Pineapple Chicken Tenders

I usually forget to make this the night before, but it still turns out really well as long as you let it marinate for at least a few hours ('night before', or 'morning of' is best but usually ours marinates for about 4 hours)

-1 cup pineapple juice
-1/2 cup packed brown sugar
-1/3 cup light soy sauce
-2 pounds chicken breast strips (I just do 2 or 3 chicken breasts)
-wooden skewers
-pineapple chunks
-green bell pepper chunks

In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix pineapple juice, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Remove from heat just before mixture comes to a boil. Place chicken tenders in a ziploc or bowl. Cover with pineapple marinade, and refrigerate overnight. Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread chicken lengthwise onto wooden skewers, alternating with pineapple and bell pepper chunks. Oil grill grate, and brush chicken lightly with marinade. Grill tenders 5 minutes per side or until juices run clear. As you grill, continuously brush on leftover marinade for maximum flavor.

Since we only do a few chicken breasts, we usually have leftover marinade. We boil it and serve over white rice with the chicken. If you do more chicken I would recommend doubling the marinade, because it really makes this recipe!

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